


Mean Girls: A Different Point Of View

by bookwormforever_02



Category: Mean Girls - Richmond/Benjamin/Fey
Genre: Alternate POV, Alternate Point of View, Broadway, Canon Compliant, Canon LGBTQ Character, Canon LGBTQ Male Character, Canon Rewrite, F/M, I'm not shipping Cady/janis, I'm trying to stick as close to canon as I can, LGBTQ Female Character, Mean Girls, Mean Girls Quotes, Musicals, My First AO3 Post, Potentially Triggering Topics, Self-Harm, idk what this is going to be, janis is a lesbian, main LGBTQ+ character, mean girls but it's janis's pov, mild homophobia, revenge party, this probably isn't very good lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28768068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwormforever_02/pseuds/bookwormforever_02
Summary: You know Mean Girls through Cady's eyes, but what if it was told through a different point of view? What would be different?This is the story of the Mean Girls musical, but told through Janis Sarkisian's point of view.Please Note: A lot of the dialogue is from the musical (or changed up a little bit), so I do not own it!!!I will be sticking to canon as much as possible (so the only ships will be Cady/Aaron, Regina/Shane, and Regina/Aaron), but I will be adding things in regarding Janis's backstory/filling in some gaps that we don't see in the show (such as when Janis has her art show).
Relationships: Cady Heron/Aaron Samuels, Damian Hubbard & Janis Sarkisian, Regina George/Aaron Samuels, Regina George/Shane Oman
Kudos: 6





	1. Warnings/Author's Note

**Author's Note:**

> I've been trying to figure out how to write this fan fiction for a long time, but here it is (finally)! I hope you all like it:)

There are going to be some potentially triggering topics in this story. I will put a general warning here, and individual warnings on the chapters where these triggers apply. You have been warned.

Triggering topics include:

-S*lf-h@rm

-Homophobia/the D-slur

-Mentions of bullying 

-Weight loss/weight gain (the Kalteen bar thing)

-Dieting (kind of)

I think that's it. I will be sure to note if there are others.

\--------------

I'll try to be consistent with updates, but I suck at that, so we'll see. I'll try and update at least twice a month, though, just to keep the story flowing.

I hope you enjoy the story! :)


	2. Welcome To North Shore High

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janis and Damian take Cady Heron under their wing and introduce her to the many cliques of North Shore High. (This chapter covers the events of 'A Cautionary Tale' to the end of 'Where Do You Belong')

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, chapter one! I honestly have no idea what I'm doing, but this was fun to write, so there you go.

"Janis?" Janis glanced up from grabbing her things out of her locker. Damian was standing next to her, and from the look on his face, it wasn't the first time he'd said her name.

"Yeah?" She asked, shutting her locker door. "Did you hear what I just said?" Damian asked. Janis slung her bag over her shoulder. "No, I didn't. You said something?"

Damian was obviously trying to not sound exasperated when he replied, "Yes, I did. There's a new student today!" He added. That got Janis's attention.

"Woah, really?" She asked, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice. North Shore never got new students. Actually, she didn't remember there ever being a new student since she started high school.

"Yeah. I saw her in the hall." Damian replied. "How do you know she's new?" Janis asked. "She looked really lost, and she was wearing this weird safari vest thing." Damian made a face.

Yeah, definitely sounded like a new kid. Anyone who'd been at North Shore longer than two days wouldn't wear a safari vest to school. Janis couldn't help but grin. "Sounds interesting. I wonder if she's in any of our classes."

Damian shrugged. "Well, the bell for homeroom will ring any second, so we'll find out then."

As if on cue, the bell rang. "You never told me you had magical powers." Janis teased. "It's just one of my many hidden talents." Damian said, bowing. Janis rolled her eyes. "C'mon, I don't want to be late."

On the way to homeroom, Janis thought about what Damian had said. New students were a foreign concept at North Shore, and she wondered why this girl had chosen to transfer here - and after school had already started.

She rolled her eyes. This new girl would probably get swept up into one of the school's many cliques before homeroom was even over. Most likely one of the really obnoxious ones.

"What's on your mind?" Damian asked as the two of them took their seats. "Huh? Oh, just thinking about the new girl that you saw. She'll probably be a part of a clique before homeroom is over." She added.

"Or not." Damian nodded at the front of the room, where Ms. Norberry, the homeroom teacher, was talking to the principal, Mr. Duvall. "What-?" Janis started to say, but then broke off.

A girl she'd never seen before stood awkwardly at the front of the room, talking to Mr. Duvall. She was wearing cargo shorts and a safari vest with a flannel shirt, and she had a hairstyle that might have been really popular back in middle school.

"Is that the girl you saw in the hall?" Janis whispered. "Yeah", Damian whispered back. _Where is she from? She can't have gone to a regular school before this - no high schooler wears that to the first day of school_ , Janis thought.

"Welcome to North Shore High." She heard Mr. Duvall say - probably to the new girl - before turning to the rest of the class. "May I present to you: We have a new student joining us. Her name is Caddy Heron." He said.

"It's pronounced like Katie-" the new girl interjected, but Mr. Duvall kept talking, saying "She just moved here from Kansas-" "Kenya", the new girl interjected again.

Janis glanced back at Damian, who looked as intrigued as she felt. A new student? From Kenya? Normally, Janis couldn't care less about the people at North Shore, but something about this girl interested her.

Mr. Duvall said something else and then left, but Janis wasn't paying attention. She scribbled a note to Damian that said, "This is intriguing."

A few seconds later, a note landed on her desk. It was from Damian (duh. Who else would write her a note?), and it said "Yeah, I wonder what her story is".

Janis glanced up to make sure Ms. Norberry wasn't paying attention. She was saying something to Caddy, and not really paying attention to the rest of the class.

"Guess we'll find out later." Janis muttered so that only Damian could hear her. "Yeah." He whispered back.

They had to stop talking when someone started passing out worksheets, but Janis gave Damian a look that said, "let's talk to her at lunch." _Before she gets corrupted by the_ _North Shore cliques_ , She added silently.

\------------------

When the bell rang for first period (American Lit), Janis was surprised to see that Caddy shared another class with her and Damian. Caddy took the seat next to Janis's, but Janis shook her head.

"Oh, you don't want to sit there." She said, stopping her. "Dawn Schweitzer saves that seat for her boyfriend." Dawn was kind of a bitch, and getting on her bad side on her first day at North Shore wouldn't be good for Caddy.

As if on cue, Dawn came over and looked right at Caddy. "Move. My boyfriend sits there."

Looking very confused, Caddy asked, "couldn't I just sit here for today?"

'That's not gonna go over very well', Janis thought. "Not unless you're going tickle my back, bitch." Dawn said with a look that said she meant it. _Thought so_ , Janis said to herself as Caddy hurriedly moved to a seat in the back of the classroom.

 _Welcome to North Shore High is right_ , Janis thought, pulling out her notebook.

\---------------------------

Caddy was also in Janis and Damian's French class, which was surprising. It was rare for students to share this many classes in a row. But in a way, Janis was glad. Caddy seemed interesting, and it was clear that she had no idea how to act in a public high school.

Their French teacher started taking roll call. When she got to Caddy, Caddy replied with her name - Cady, not Caddy, Janis reminded herself - and the teacher just looked at her. "Incorrect!" She said loudly.

Janis tapped Cady on the shoulder. "Hey," She said. "Hey. Pick your French name." Cady turned around and looked at her, a confused look on her face.

"But all the French people I know just call me Cady", she said, sounding both puzzled and a little amused. Janis shook her head slightly. "Just say Marie."

Cady looked very confused - Janis didn't blame her there - but said, "Marie?" The teacher nodded. "Marie."

"Janice", Janis said when it was her turn. She'd learned long ago that you needed to have a French name in this class. The teacher was kind of weird that way.

 _I wonder what Damian will say today_ , She wondered. He never said a regular name. He had to be, in his words, "fabulous". Today, he said, "Janelle", which made Janis turn to look at him, laughing, and the teacher to say, "No."

"Fantine", Damian tried again, which made Janis laugh harder. "No!" The teacher said. "Lady Gaga", Damian said. Janis turned back to face the front, laughing really hard, but the teacher said "No!" Angrily, and glared at Damian before heading back to the front of the room.

 _Definitely the most entertaining part of the day,_ Janis thought, still grinning.

\----------------------------------

The next class that Janis and Damian had was Health, which Caddy was also in. The coach who taught Health class was going on about some state-required unit, but Janis tuned him out. Sex education was always targeted at straight people, anyway, so what was the point of listening?

"Hey, she's leaving!" A girl said, causing Janis to glance up and see that Caddy was standing up and starting to leave the classroom. _This'll be interesting,_ she thought.

"Where do you think you're going, hot shot?" Coach Carr asked.

"I have to urinate", Cady replied, like it should have been obvious. Janis glanced at her, feeling kind of amused.

"No way, Jose!" Coach Carr said, walking over to Cady. "It's Cady", Cady replied. Janis stifled her laugh. Wow, Cady really had no idea about how school worked, did she?

Janis looked over at Damian, who also looked amused. Cady was definitely different than the other kids at North Shore.

"....and you have to carry this lavatory pass that's shaped like the carving of a whale", Coach Carr was saying. _That thing is so dumb_ , Janis thought, rolling her eyes at Damian, who rolled his back at her.

"Oh. Well, may I please have the lavatory pass?" Cady asked hopefully. "Nice try. You can go at lunch", Coach Carr replied, going back over to his desk. Cady looked very confused.

 _That's high school. You're controlled by teachers who think they're the almighty, or something,_ Janis thought, as Cady sat back down.

\-------------------------------

"Hey, where'd Caddy go?" Damian asked as he and Janis headed to lunch. "No idea. She's probably at lunch", Janis responded. She didn't see Caddy in the crush of students, but that didn't mean anything.

The two of them passed by the girls' bathroom, and saw a girl come out of it, saying "Weirdo", over her shoulder before she shut the door.

Janis glanced at Damian, and she could tell he was thinking the same thing she was: Caddy. "Wait - let's see if she comes out", Janis said, pulling Damian back when he started to open the door. "Maybe she just needs some space."

Damian hesitated, but nodded. "But if she's not out in five minutes-" "We'll go in." Janis finished.

Five minutes passed, and still no Caddy. Janis glanced at Damian, who nodded. They pushed open the bathroom door and paused outside of the stall that Caddy was in. Janis could tell it was Caddy, because who else would wear socks with sandals?

Damian knocked on the stall's door. "You've been in there a very long time! You're either doing drugs, or very constipated from using drugs!" He said loudly, while Janis gave him a thumbs up and a grin. _Nice move, Damian._

The stall door burst open. "I'm not using drugs!" Caddy said, looking very surprised to see the two of them standing there.

"Hey. I'm Janis", Janis said before Caddy had finished talking. "Je m'appelle Sasha Fierce", Damian said dramatically, striking a pose. Caddy nodded, but looked very confused.

"This is Damian", Janis said with a grin. "He's almost too gay to function." Caddy nodded, looking kind of overwhelmed.

When she turned to look at Damian, Janis started rifling through the front of her backpack, trying to find Caddy's schedule. She felt a piece of paper, neatly folded up, next to what felt like a pencil case. _There it is._

"Hi, I'm Cady", Cady said, sounding relieved that someone was talking to her. She must not have been in the cafeteria yet, if that was her reaction to someone saying hello.

"As junior co-chair of the activities committee - and this here art freak -" Damian paused, and Janis indicated that yep, Damian was talking about her - "we volunteer to help you find your place at North Shore." Damian finished.

Caddy still looked confused, so Janis added, "what he's saying is that we'll help you, Caddy." She started studying Caddy's schedule, looking to see what other classes they had together. Just lunch, and one or two in the afternoon on some days. Mostly just their morning classes.

"Oh, thank you so much." Caddy said gratefully. "But it's Cady", she added. _Yeah, there's no way I'll remember that_ , Janis thought. She'd been calling her 'Caddy' in her head all morning.

"Yeah, I'm gonna call you Caddy", she said, glancing up from Caddy's schedule. Caddy nodded hesitantly.

"When did you move here?" Damian asked. "Uh, three days ago", Caddy replied.

"Why'd you stop being homeschooled?" Janis asked, remembering something that she'd heard Ms. Norberry say that morning.

"So I could get socialized", Caddy said confidently. Janis stopped looking at Caddy's schedule, feeling a little bit sorry for Caddy.

"Oh, you'll get socialized, all right. A little slice like you", Damian said. Janis nodded. _S_ _ocialized is one way to put it. Eaten alive is more like it._

As she finished putting Caddy's schedule back into her backpack, another one of the stalls opened, and a girl came out. She stopped when she saw Damian, saying "You're not supposed to be in here!"

Damian pretended to chase after her, going "Danny DeVito? I love your work!" Janis started laughing. _You'd think that at this point, people would be used to Damian just going_ _wherever I go._

"Okay", Damian said, coming back over. "Okay, Caddy. I once read on a tote bag that everything fits somewhere."

 _Oh my God. Really, Damian? That's what you went with?_ Janis put her forehead in her hand. She looked at Damian through her fingers as he said, "So keep and open mind and a closed mouth, and let's get out there and pick your new life!" Janis shook her head. _Does he have to be so dramatic?_

Damian grabbed Caddy's hand. "Come on. My mamma used to tell me 'baby girl, don't ever eat lunch on the john.'" Janis glanced at him. "Your mamma called you 'baby girl'?" She asked, laughing.

He gave her a look. "Talking here, haha." Janis just rolled her eyes good-naturedly. _Hopefully he doesn't scare Caddy away._

"You need to find your group. Your herd - your flock! Come with us to the cafeteria, and I'll show you around." Damian grabbed Caddy's hand and pulled her out of the bathroom, Janis following close behind.

She hung back, letting Damian have the spotlight as he asked, "Let's take a walk around the cafeteria, shall we?" Caddy nodded bravely. "Yes." Damian's face lit up, and Janis knew that's what he had been hoping Caddy would say. "I'll show you the world as I see it", he added.

He led Caddy over to where the jocks sat. As usual, they were talking about the only thing they knew how to talk about: Sports, and hot teenage girls. Janis rolled her eyes at them. Boring. She turned back to Damian, who was giving Caddy the rundown of the cafeteria and its many cliques.

"These are the varsity and JV jocks. Don't say hello to them, or they'll throw you in a locker." Caddy looked at Janis with a question on her face. Janis nodded in confirmation. She'd seen the jocks throw people in lockers.

"The rich stoners and the gangsta whites hate each other, even though they're all smoking the same oregano." Damian continued his speech. "Here's the sexually active band geeks. Stay away from them unless you like blowing and fingering." Janis laughed when he said that last part, mostly because of the clueless look on Caddy's face.

The show choir waved at Damian as he walked by their table, and they even did a little number for Caddy, which Janis thought was overkill, but this was Damian, so maybe not.

"You have the girls who eat their feelings, girls who don't eat, the debate team, and the dance team-" Caddy interrupted Damian, "Who's that?" She was pointing at the Mathletes table.

"Darling, that's the Mathletes", Damian answered. "Cool!" Caddy started to say, but Janis grabbed her backpack and pulled her away from their table. Nope. Not gonna happen. Joining the Mathletes would guarantee that Caddy would have no friends at North Shore. It was social suicide, as Damian said.

Janis went to the lunch table she always shared with Damian, and waited while he finished giving Caddy the cafeteria tour. She started laughing when he started dancing in the middle of the room, getting the show choir to join him. _Oh Damian, I love you._

"But who's over here? Why, it's Janis-" "And Damian, too", Janis finished, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug. "We're not exactly what you'd call 'joiners'-" "But we'll be your friends", Damian finished for her.

She climbed off the table. "And being friends with us means you can skip the other cliques, such as the geeks, the freaks, and the peaking too soon-" she added, gesturing around the room. "-The strivers and survivors who're waiting for summer-" Damian cut her off. "The junior achievers-" Janis interrupted, "The conservative Christians-" and together they said, "The tall glowering wallflowers fending off skeevers."

"Yeah, forget all the fuss. Come sit at our table." Janis added, throwing an arm around Caddy's shoulders. "Okay!" Caddy said eagerly.

"Yaaaay!" Janis cheered, running around Caddy with Damian, who looked as excited as she felt. Caddy seemed nice, and she hadn't been eaten alive by North Shore yet. With some luck, it'd stay that way.

Damian flung an arm over Caddy's shoulders. "Here's where you-" "Belong!" Janis finished, grinning.

 _This'll be an interesting year_. She thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that took forever to write! Not to mention that converting songs to dialogue is very hard😅 I had a lot of fun writing this, though, and I hope you like it! (The next chapter will be more interesting, because of the Plastics and all that) 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!!


	3. The Apex Predator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janis and Damian convince Caddy to spy on the Plastics, and Janis tries to warn her about Regina George, the Queen Bee. (This chapter covers the events of 'Meet the Plastics' until the end of 'Apex Predator'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, another chapter! I'll try and post every Friday, starting next week:)

"Woah, who's at that table over there?" Caddy asked, sounding awed. Janis looked over where she was pointing, and felt a spark of anger and something that might have been hurt that rested below the surface. Caddy was looking at the Plastics.

"Don't look at them, just don't!" Damian exclaimed, shoving Caddy behind him. "We call those three the Plastics, because they're all shiny and fake." He added. "Yeah, they play mind games with everyone." Janis added bitterly. 

Damian glanced at her, and she could tell that he knew how she was feeling about this. _We have to warn Caddy about them._ She told him silently, hoping he got the message. He nodded.

"They'll insult your clothing, or maybe make fun of your name." Damian told Caddy. "They even mocked a teacher so much that she quit", Janis added. Caddy looked alarmed, but also intrigued. _No_. _Caddy cannot get corrupted by them._

Janis didn't want anything to do with the Plastics, but she also knew that if her and Damian didn't warn Caddy about the Plastics, then no one would. 

"Regina George is the queen bee", she said sarcastically. "She's always dressed up. She always wins Spring Fling Queen. We're just drones who work for her, then die." She nodded at Regina, the human form of evil. She was sitting with her sidekicks, as usual, and looking like she owned the place. _Fuck you._ Janis thought, glaring at her.

"That's Gretchen Weiners", she told Caddy, nodding at the girl who was doing something on her phone. "She knows everything about everybody", Janis added. Gretchen seemed like she was always buzzing around, trying to get people to give her dirt that she could take back to Regina. A suck-up. 

"That's why her hair is so big. It's full of secrets", Damian stage-whispered to Caddy, who looked like she wasn't sure how to feel. 

Janis nodded at the third person at the table. "That is Karen Smith, the dumbest person you will ever meet." She couldn't help but laugh a little bit at that last part. Karen was just Regina's puppy dog, who followed her blindly.

"I once saw her put a 'D' in the word 'orange'", Damian added, cringing. Caddy nodded, but she was still looking at the Plastics with awe on her face. 

"Caddy, let's go sit down." Janis nodded at her and Damian's table. Caddy nodded, and started to follow her. _Anything to get her away from the Plastics_ , Janis thought. 

Janis sat down, and so did Damian. "Wait, where's Caddy?" Janis asked. "There." Damian pointed, and Janis followed where he was pointing. _Oh no._ Caddy was talking to Regina. "I'm sure she'll come over here in a minute." Damian said reassuringly. "Yeah." Janis said, not convinced. She knew how tempting the Plastics' power was.

A minute later, Caddy stepped back from the Plastics' table - but she didn't go back to where Janis and Damian sat. 'What do they want?' Janis asked Caddy silently. Caddy shrugged and shook her head. _This can't be good news._ Janis thought to herself.

Her and Damian watched as Regina motioned for Caddy to come back over to their table. "What's she saying?" Damian asked. "I don't know. I don't have superhuman hearing. But whatever it is can't be good", Janis added, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. 

"I'm sure it's nothing", Damian said reassuringly. "Yeah. Sure." Janis wasn't convinced. "C'mon, let's go talk to Caddy", she added, as the Plastics left the cafeteria, leaving Caddy standing there by herself, looking awed. _Uh-oh_ , Janis thought. "I don't think we'll need to", Damian said, pointing as Caddy walked over to their table. 

"Okay, they want me to have lunch with them for the rest of the week!" Caddy exclaimed, sounding shocked and excited. _That's a new one_ , Janis thought. Out loud she said, "oh, that is tits." "She means that's great", Damian quickly explained. _Oh yeah, I forgot not everyone speaks gay_ , Janis thought, looking at Damian out of the corner of her eye. 

"Oh", Caddy said, laughing a little bit. "But I've already said I'd sit with you guys - maybe we can all have lunch together!" She suggested as the three of them walked out of the cafeteria. 

_Never in a million years._ Was the first thing that popped into Janis's head. "Never," she said. At the same time, Damian said, "not really an option." 

"I don't get why you hate them so much, Regina seems kind of....cool", Caddy said, shrugging. _Yeah, cool until she turns into a backstabbing life-ruining bitch_ , Janis thought.

"No, no. Regina George is not cool. She's a scum-sucking fart-mouthed life-ruiner", she said, walking towards Caddy. _And that's an understatement._ She added silently. 

Damian started to say, "Why Janis hates Regina is that-" "Damian, shall we not, shall we not?" Janis cut him off, pushing him back a little bit. They'd just met Caddy - there was no way she was letting Damian tell her Janis's backstory. _Boundaries, dude._

"Okay Caddy, take their offer, come back, and tell us every stupid moron thing they say." It'd be funny, and laughing at the Plastics never got old, in Janis's book. She felt Damian come up behind her and warp and arm around her in an awkward hug, but she didn't acknowledge it. _Come on, Caddy, say yes._

"You mean spy on them?" Caddy asked. Janis and Damian nodded. "But isn't that bad?" Caddy sounded confused. 

"Caddy, we're your friends. Would we ask you to do something bad?" Janis asked, returning Damian's hug. Yeah, that was a little manipulative, but it'd be worth it, to hear about all the dumb stuff the Plastics said. 

Caddy paused, like she was thinking. _Just say yes already_ , Janis thought. "Sounds fun!" Caddy exclaimed. "Yaaay!" Janis exclaimed, running around to Caddy's other side. _This is gonna be awesome._

"Do you have a pink shirt I can borrow?" Caddy asked. "No", Janis said at the same time that Damian said "Yes, what shade?" Janis gave him a look. Of course he had more than one pink shirt. 

The three of them left the cafeteria, Janis grinning. Having Caddy spy on the Plastics was going to be the best thing to happen in years. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Caddy seemed to have an easier time navigating her morning classes, from what Janis could see. Caddy's last morning class was AP Calculus, which Janis and Damian did not take. _And never will._ Janis thought. 

"Are you sure about this whole spying thing?" Damian asked out of the blue, as the two of them walked to their last morning class. "What? Yeah, of course I am." Janis replied. _Why would he ask that? He went along with it._ "I just don't want Caddy to get caught up in the Plastics and forget about us", Damian said, sounding a little worried. 

"That's not gonna happen, Damian. This is Caddy. She'll eat lunch with them and that's it." Janis assured him. _Caddy's too sweet for the Plastics. She didn't even want to hang out with them until I told her to._ She told herself, trying to forget the awed look that Caddy had had when she first saw the Plastics. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Right before lunch, Janis and Damian met up with Caddy so that Damian could give her his pink shirt. _Pink is for spies,_ Janis thought with a grin, as she helped Caddy into the oversized polo shirt. 

"What do you think they're talking about over there?" Damian asked after he and Janis had sat down. Janis looked at him. "I don't know. That's why we have Caddy, remember?" 

She glanced over at the Plastics' table. Caddy seemed to be enjoying herself, or at least she was smiling and laughing. _I can't believe that used to be me. I was so fucking blind._ Janis thought bitterly. 

"Janis?" She jumped a little bit when Damian said her name. "What? Oh, sorry. I was just-" "thinking?" He finished. She nodded quickly. "Yeah. Thinking." He gave her a look that told her that he knew exactly what she was thinking about, but he didn't push it. 

"I'm looking forward to a report from Caddy," he said, obviously changing the subject. "Yeah, so am I. I'll bet Regina's just as shallow and boring as she's always been", Janis added, rolling her eyes. 

Close to the end of lunch, a boy - maybe the Mathletes captain? Janis couldn't remember - approached the Plastics' table and said something to Caddy, which made her smile. Regina got up in his face and said something, and then shooed him away from the table. _Yeah, she hasn't changed at all._ Janis thought, shaking her head.

After the Plastics left, Janis went over to Caddy, Damian following close behind her. "Wait, what'd she just say?" She asked. 

"Did you see that? How she chewed out that boy to protect me?" Caddy asked, sounding awed. "Yes. She's rude", Janis said shortly. _Any idiot could see that._

"Well, no." Caddy said. "Wait, no - she's the apex predator." Janis glanced at Damian, who looked as confused as she felt. _What is Caddy talking about?_ "The what?" Damian asked. 

"The alpha", Caddy explained. "They are predators, but if you're on their good side, you can have a symbiotic or commensal relationship-" Janis shook her head. 

"No." Janis spoke over the rest of Caddy's sentence. "Regina George has no good side. It's like you just said - she's a predator. And-" _How can I say this in a way that she'll actually listen and not just blow me off?_

"Look, Caddy - don't be fooled by the pink, okay? She's not playing dolls with you. She's stalking the school in search of her next victim, and she has everyone terrified of her. Look at the kids around you - their eyes are begging her not to attack them. She's at the top of the food chain, and she never lets anyone forget it. Don't mess with her." 

The Plastics walked by, and Caddy waved at Janis before following them out of the room. _She's the apex predator_ , Janis thought, watching Regina. 

\---------------------------------------------

After school, Janis convinced Damian to go to the mall with her, to spy on Caddy and the Plastics. It didn't actually take much convincing, since he wanted to look at the Broadway section of the bookstore, anyway. 

When they got to the mall, he went straight to the bookstore, but Janis looked went looking for. Caddy and the Plastics. She saw them coming out of a shoe store. _Of course._ Caddy looked overwhelmed, but also like she was having fun. 

Seeing an opportunity, Janis ran over to Caddy after the Plastics got ahead of her. "Janis! I-" Caddy sounded surprised. "What'd I say about Regina? She's the queen of beasts, right?" Janis asked, only half-joking. Caddy looked confused. 

"I mean, kind of, but I'm also her friend-" Janis shook her head. "You're prey, Caddy. You can't know if she'll braid your hair or eat your heart. She is dangerous." Caddy paused for a second, and Janis thought that she'd gotten through to her, and that maybe Caddy would just spy on the Plastics at lunch and not act like their friend, but then Caddy said, "I'll be fine, Janis. Don't worry!" And ran off after the Plastics.

 _You can't outsmart the apex predator_ , Janis thought, watching Caddy go, a sinking feeling in her stomach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! If you like the story so far, kudos and comments are always appreciated<33


End file.
